Tamakaze

Tamakaze formed in late 2007, although it would take Neil and Paul a full three months to come up with a name which they were absolutely sure no-one would be able to pronounce.

The two of them met in 2006 via the on-line musicians' site Forming Bands. Neil was a fresh-faced and newly-minted drummer, having cunninglywaited until his 30's before learning the in's-and-out's of the instrument he now loves, while Paul was a veteran singer/song-writer, looking to return from walkabout in the musical wilderness after having been in several bands over the years (Disposable Icons, Resonance, India).

They quickly established a useful partnership and started working with a couple of other local musicians, but they were destined to leave that first project behind after only a couple of gigs, turning their attention towards a three-month stint writing brand new material for their second band together.

This proved equally fruitful. In February 2008, John's timely arrival filled the gaping hole where the bass player should be, and his catchy, intricate riffs injected the final burst of personality needed to get the music air-borne. His new band mates chose to ignore the fact that John's previous, short-lived band had been called "The John McCabe Experience", and Tamakaze was born.

Much of 2008 was spent writing songs and getting as tight as possible. Keen listeners can probably detect influences from all over the musical spectrum. Whether it's the John Taylor in the bass-lines, the Dominic Howard in the drums, or the James Dean Bradfield in the everything-else, the band's influences range from 70's punk to contemporary chart pop, stopping off everywhere in between.